TANGLES

The consequences of living with a bad conscience are explored in a short novel by the Australian author of Dear Mr. Sprouts (1993). Sophie mourns the death of her cat Ginger until the moment she sees Tangles at the fair. Coming upon the black kitten after frittering her money away on other purchases, she lacks the five dollars needed to buy him; in desperation, she steals the money from a beloved neighbor. Though both emotional and physical pangs (a stomach pain that becomes appendicitis) are kindled by Sophie's secret transgression, Broome handles its effects on her friendship and family with a light touch. Sophie is a strong, endearing character who invites reader identification, as does her dilemma. James's small, breezy sketches, peppered throughout the invitingly open format, nicely complement the story. (Fiction. 7-11)